Smash season 1 is coming to DVD and UltraViolet Jan. 8 – just in time to get all caught up on the Golden Globe-nominated musical drama before it makes its revamped return to NBC next month.
A show within a show, Smash follows the drama that unfolds during the making of a Marilyn Monroe musical – later dubbed Bombshell – hoping to open on Broadway. From ensemble cast to producer, the show gives viewers a glimpse of what it’s like to be part of the Broadway community with authentic Broadway talent, original songs and killer choreography.
The cast of NBC’s breakout series brings talent and experience spanning from the Great White Way to the big screen with accolades to spare in Tony Award winner Christian Borle, Emmy winner Debra Messing, Academy Award winner Anjelica Huston and the always convincing Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean).
The real stars of the show, however, are young and naive Karen Cartwright – played by American Idol alum Katharine McPhee – and her nemesis and sometimes-friend Ivy – a Broadway baby portrayed by Wicked star Megan Hilty. Not only do they supply the vocal prowess but they cleverly represent two different sides of Marilyn Monroe herself – the innocent starlet and the sexpot diva.
The show’s freshman season sees Karen and Ivy vying for the lead role of Marilyn in a show created by dynamic writing duo Tom Levitt (Borle) and Julia Houston (Messing), directed by surly womanizer Derek Willis (Davenport) and produced by Eileen Rand (Huston) – an acclaimed producer whose nasty divorce seems to be everything anyone’s talking about. Though Smash suffers from unnecessary subplots and a few impossible-to-like characters (is there ANYONE who can stand Ellis?), at its core the show is about the love of theater, making dreams come true and the creation of a star – something musical theater aficionados are bound to love.
Though most deleted scenes were deserving of being cut, of note is a deleted scene from episode 14 where Tom surprisingly holds his own during a conversation about football, even mentioning Tom Brady and the Patriots, while sharing a meal with Sam’s family. An intimate moment between Sam and Ivy from the same episode is also touching and shows the strength of their friendship.
Unfortunately, there is no commentary included in the DVD set. Other TV shows, such as How I Met Your Mother, have included commentaries for an episode or two, sometimes with guest stars. Here’s hoping the Smash season 2 DVD brings with it insight from some of its many regular cast members and guest stars.
But to make up for it, the real special features come in the form of two featurettes. “A Dream Come True” highlights the cast and what they each bring to the show, with cast members and producers giving insight on the different characters. The most fascinating, however, is the “Song & Dance” featurette which takes fans behind the scenes with composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman as well as choreographer Joshua Bergasse. Since the original songs and dance numbers are arguably Smash‘s biggest strengths, hearing from the gentlemen behind it all is a treat for fans, though those featurettes could (and should) easily be hour-long documentaries. It’s a testament to the quality of the DVD set that it leaves us wanting more.
Smash returns for its second season with a two-hour season premiere Feb. 5 at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. Liza Minnelli, Jennifer Hudson, Bernadette Peters, Nikki Blonsky, Jesse L. Martin and Daphne Rubin-Vega will join the star-studded cast in guest roles.
Smash DVD Giveaway!
Want a free Smash Season 1 DVD? Five lucky fans will win a free copy right here on Hypable! Enter to win by liking our Facebook page, following @Hypable on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway through Rafflecopter (below). The giveaway ends Monday, Jan. 14 at 12 a.m. EST. Good luck!
Watch Special Features!
Can’t wait to watch the DVD for yourself? Check out previews of two special features below…
